In a computing system, access time is the time a program or device takes to locate a single piece of information and make it available to the computer for processing. The use of a cache in a computer may reduce memory access time, thereby increasing the overall speed of the system. Generally, a cache memory is a small and fast type of memory device that improves system performance by storing, for example, frequently accessed data.
Since a computer system may make multiple accesses to the cache, the type of caching device used in a system may affect system performance. For example, the use of a cache memory having a relatively slow access time may reduce system performance. In addition, the caching algorithms used to determine which data to cache may also affect system performance.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to perform caching in computing systems.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.